eBay Inc. Comment on Allocation of Single Character Names

["Kawaguchi, Susan" <skawaguc@xxxxxxxx>]

eBay Inc. respectfully submits the following comment:
 

eBay Inc. (eBay) offers this brief comment on the single character name 
allocation framework, see 
http://www.icann.org/registries/rsep/proposed-scsld-allocation-framework-13jun08.htm
 
<http://www.icann.org/registries/rsep/proposed-scsld-allocation-framework-13jun08.htm>
 .  eBay has no opinion to offer on the allocation method proposed in the 
document, but believes it is essential to clarify the range of domain names to 
which this method would -or would not - apply.   

The framework document states that "single-character domain names are presently 
reserved in all 16 gTLD registry agreements," and then proposes a method for 
allocating these names by auction.  The document makes no reference to the fact 
that at least six single-character domain names in three gTLDs (.com, .net and 
.org) were registered before ICANN came into existence and therefore (if still 
registered) are not available for allocation by ICANN by any method.  This fact 
was documented in May 2007 in the final report of the GNSO Reserved Names 
Working Group, see 
http://gnso.icann.org/issues/new-gtlds/final-report-rn-wg-23may07.htm 
<http://gnso.icann.org/issues/new-gtlds/final-report-rn-wg-23may07.htm>  at 
67-68, but may have been overlooked since then.  

eBay has been the registrant of one of these domain names - x.com - since it 
acquired PayPal Inc. several years ago. We would appreciate the clarification 
that any allocation method adopted by ICANN would not apply to this domain 
name, nor to any other single character domain name that is currently 
registered.  

The GNSO Reserved Names Working Group report referenced above also states that 
"under current policy, these names would be placed on reserve if the 
registrations were allowed to expire."  ICANN may also wish to clarify whether 
the allocation method it chooses will be applied not only to those single 
character second level domain names that are currently reserved, but also to 
any such names that have been registered but that become reserved through the 
operation of the "current policy" described in the GNSO report.  

Respectfully submitted, 

Richard Nessary

Associate General Counsel 

Intellectual Property

eBay Inc. 

 

 

 
 
Susan Kawaguchi
Global Domain Name Manager
eBay Inc. 
2145 Hamilton Avenue
San Jose, CA 95125
 
(t) 408 376-6489
(f) 408 376-7514